Schools Consider Extending Semester Start, But Hagwon Receive Only Simple Recommendations...

39.6% of Private Academies in Jeonnam Region Operating Normally, 'Mandatory Regulations' Impossible

COVID-19 Prevention Methods (Photo by Korean Medical Association)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Jun-kyung] As the Ministry of Education decided to extend the school opening ceremony by two weeks due to the spread of ‘COVID-19,’ there have been criticisms that private academies are only being advised to close temporarily.

According to the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education on the 2nd, after reviewing the Ministry of Education’s plan to postpone the opening of kindergartens, elementary, middle, and high schools by an additional two weeks, the Jeonnam region plans to extend the opening ceremony of all schools until the 23rd.

This decision was made because the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide is approaching 4,000, and on the morning of the 2nd at 11 a.m., the Ministry of Education held an emergency video conference with superintendents of education from each city and province. Some superintendents additionally requested postponement of the opening of kindergartens and elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide, leading to the judgment that an extension was necessary.

In the Jeonnam region, where four COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, the Provincial Office of Education and each school postponed the opening, and to support dual-income couples, kindergartens and elementary schools are providing emergency care services to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Following the Ministry of Education’s decision to postpone the opening, the Provincial Office of Education plans to resolve the shortage of instructional days by shortening the vacation period.

Additionally, if the legal number of instructional days cannot be met even after shortening the vacation, they are reviewing allowing school principals to reduce the number of instructional days at their discretion.

The problem is that even though the Provincial Office of Education has postponed the opening and banned various events, 39.6% of private academies in the Jeonnam region are conducting classes normally, indicating limitations in fundamental solutions.

The Provincial Office of Education has sent multiple closure recommendation notices to private academies and tutoring centers to prevent infection, but academies are showing a passive attitude, causing difficulties in infection prevention.

An instructor at a private academy in Jeonnam said, “We encourage students to wear masks during class, but realistically it is difficult,” adding, “If the Office of Education issued a closure order, all academies would close uniformly, but currently only recommendation notices are sent, so everyone is just watching each other.”

The reason academy owners hesitate to close is because, as self-employed businesses, closing would make it difficult to cover tuition fees, rent, and instructor salaries, and there is anxiety about a decrease in the number of students.

A Provincial Office of Education official said, “There is no legal provision under the Private Academy Act to forcibly close academies,” adding, “However, we have requested local governments to support the provision of quarantine supplies and disinfection, and aside from sending closure recommendation notices, there are no other measures we can take.”

The Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education has taken the lead in minimizing learning loss caused by the COVID-19 impact through emergency meetings and is planning to request additional budget support from the Ministry of Education for disinfection and sterilization.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.